After coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1, Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said his side started slowly but responded well in the second half.
How pleased were you with the spirit and character shown by the players, especially as you looked up against it at half-time?
— That’s definitely the biggest thing we take from this game. I think it was the first time we’ve been in that position at half-time. We started a bit off it, and credit to Crystal Palace—they began very well. After about 20 minutes, I thought the game turned our way, and we finished the first half much stronger.
We talked at half-time about how to respond, how to show our character and belief. Football can be tough, and this league is tough—you don’t get everything easy. The way we reacted and turned the game around in the second half was the most important thing for me.
Did you have any specific messages for the players at half-time?
— Just small tweaks to the shape, maybe a few ideas, things we tried early on but wanted to improve. Honestly, it wasn’t a big change—I don’t take any credit for that. I think the boys grew into the game as the first half went on.
Sometimes you have to find a way in matches. We wanted to run more and be more aggressive against their back line, which is what we always work on. We did that better in the second half, and we got a penalty because of it. The reaction from the boys was excellent, and that means a lot to us.
How does it feel when the fans sing your name?
— This place means so much to me, of course. The atmosphere is positive, everyone loves coming to watch, and it feels great to be part of that. It’s all down to the players—this isn’t about me. The connection with the fans is huge, to feel that support even when we start slowly, and to get the win in the end means everything.
Were you pleased with Šeško’s impact early on, and how much will that boost his confidence?
— I’m absolutely delighted for him. He had a huge influence and has improved so much. He needed time to settle in, to understand the environment and what games mean here—things we sometimes take for granted. He wants to do well, works incredibly hard in training, and it’s a real pleasure working with him.
He started today and scored a fantastic goal. He brings so much to the team. We have good flexibility in the forward line; strikers can take on different roles, so we have options. Amad had a rest today, but that could change again on Wednesday. It’s good to have these choices.
Šeško’s form is much better than earlier in the season. How much is down to confidence and how much to the team bringing out his strengths?
— Building relationships and trust is vital when helping players and the team. It all starts with Šeško—he puts in the work, has a positive mindset, and knows exactly how he wants to improve. He’s a top player, which is why he’s here. He has brilliant, dangerous qualities. I’m excited for his future but realistic too. He’s young, has huge potential, and is still at the start of his journey, but he’s doing really well.
What did you make of Cunha’s performance?
— The key was the balance of when to come inside, when to stay wide, and when to run in behind. Cunha thinks deeply about the game and is eager to understand things. He sees spaces and knows which areas to attack. Sometimes he goes wide; he looked a real threat, especially in the second half when he ran in behind. He then moved more central, like in the build-up to the penalty.
This club is known for great goals. Did you think some of your goals today were excellent?
— It’s always nice to score. At the end of the day, we watch football for goals, excitement, and top players. We know the quality we have, so we won’t get carried away. I still think we haven’t found all the answers, but we know the boys can produce quality moments in so many ways.
We’re comfortable with through balls, combinations, one-on-ones, and headers. We feel balanced in that area, which is very pleasing. Of course, some games won’t go as smoothly, but that’s football. We struggled to score in those two away games, but that’s just how it is.
We’ve had to try different methods to get this momentum. It’s encouraging and gives us more motivation to keep going.
